As world leaders gathered at the Vatican to mourn the death of Pope Francis, a private exchange between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron captured attention — and, according to a lip reader, carried a pointed warning.
During the funeral ceremonies at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday (April 26), Trump crossed paths with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, and UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Before the proceedings began, Trump and Zelenskyy were spotted speaking privately after Macron greeted the Ukrainian leader with an embrace.
Professional lip reader Nicola Hickling analyzed footage of the encounter for The Sun and claimed that Trump issued a frosty message to Macron.
According to Hickling, "Donald reaches his hands out to both of them and brings them towards him."
The lip reader added: "[Trump] says to Macron 'you are not in the right here, I need you to do me a favour, you should not be here.'
"Zelensky nods in agreement and the vicar who is in front of the camera turns his head to the side looking worried at what he has heard between them."
Hickling noted that Zelenskyy appeared to nod in agreement while a vicar standing nearby turned his head, seemingly reacting to what he overheard.
Following the tense moment, Trump and Zelenskyy pulled up chairs for what was described as a "mini peace summit." Hickling reported that Zelenskyy told Trump: "I would like you to do that, but no, this way," to which Trump allegedly replied: "It's a very interesting strategy. You have reassurance."
The White House later described the meeting as a "very productive discussion" and indicated that further talks were planned. Zelenskyy shared similar sentiments in a post on X, writing: "We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people."
Zelenskyy continued: "Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results. Thank you @POTUS."
Ukrainian presidential spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov confirmed the meeting lasted around 15 minutes, telling France24: "The leaders agreed to continue their discussions today. Teams are working on organising the continuation of the meeting."
Images of the conversation between Trump and Zelenskyy quickly circulated across social media, highlighting the significance of the meeting amid ongoing tensions between the two leaders.
Tensions Between Trump and Zelenskyy
The brief Vatican sit-down marked the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy since their heated Oval Office clash earlier this year.
Since that headline-grabbing confrontation, Trump's controversial peace proposal - which suggested ceding Crimea and parts of Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhia to Russia - caused a further rift.
Zelenskyy rejected the idea outright, stating: "There is nothing to talk about. This violates our Constitution. This is our territory — the territory of the people of Ukraine."
Despite the friction, Trump has continued to advocate for negotiations, and it appears like the two presidents are once again on amicable terms.
However, the same may not be the case for Trump and Putin. Following the funeral, he posted a striking admission on Truth Social, referencing Russia’s recent assault on Kyiv: "There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days."
He added: "It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through 'Banking' or 'Secondary Sanctions?' Too many people are dying!!!"
Backdrop: Pope Francis' Historic Funeral
The funeral of Pope Francis - who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 - drew mourners from around the world.
Held at St. Peter’s Square, the event marked a break from tradition, as Pope Francis requested a simpler funeral and chose to be buried at St. Mary Major rather than beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. His remains were placed in a plain wooden coffin, in contrast to the elaborate triple-layered sarcophagi used for previous pontiffs.
The ceremony, despite its understated nature, attracted vast crowds and a delegation of world leaders and royalty, including Prince William, who represented the British Royal Family.
The gathering of roughly a quarter million mourners provided a backdrop for a series of significant diplomatic interactions — including the tense and closely scrutinized meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Macron.